The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of Mecardonia plant, botanically known as Mecardonia procumbens, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘INTAMEC003’.
‘INTAMEC003’ originated from a hybridization made in 2009 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The female parent was a wild access of Mecardonia procumbens var. flagellaris, characterized by its large yellow flowers, early flowering, medium internodes, large leaves and upright plant growth habit. The male parent was a proprietary, unpatented Mecardonia procumbens var. tenella line named ‘AM5-264’, characterized by its abundant yellow flower color, short internodes, sort leaves and compact creeping plant growth habit.
In March 2010, both parental lines were crossed and seeds were obtained. The seeds were harvested after 30 days. The progeny was multiplied by cuttings during June 2011. In winter 2011, twenty genotypes which were evaluated and selected for characteristics of early flowering and compact plant growth habit. These selected plants were evaluated in field trials and pots. In January 2012, twelve of the twenty genotypes were selected for evaluation in Japan. From the evaluations done in Argentina and Japan the cultivar line ‘G2012-28’ was produced meeting the desired characteristics of very early vigorous blooms, large flowers and very compact habit. ‘G2012-28’ is also sterile.
In January 2013, rooted cuttings were produced. In August 2013, the breeder confirmed that ‘G-2012-28’ fixed and stable. ‘G2012-28’ was propagated and cultivated again at the Chogo research station in Chogo, Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan to reconfirm the lines' stability. The line was subsequently named ‘INTAMEC003’ and its unique characteristics were found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.